North Carolina work accident possible in gas and oil industry

Some people, including baby boomers, are desperate for work in today's slow economy and thus opt for manual jobs. A physical-labor job in North Carolina, however, can result in a work accident that can lead to serious injuries or illnesses as well as lost wages. Experts say that the number of people who are specifically seeking jobs in the gas and oil industry has increased; as a result, their risk of becoming injured or of even dying on the job has risen as well.

Gas and oil companies added 23 percent more employees from 2009 to 2012, with blue-collars struggling to find work. However, many employees died on the job. In fact, the number of work-related deaths has risen more than 100 percent since 2009.

Many factors can contribute to this situation, including worker exhaustion and inexperience as well as lack of training. The working conditions of these companies further pose dangers, with employees working shifts of up to 14 hours. Also, much of the work is done outdoors in the elements.

Some jobs are inherently dangerous and can cause major work accident injuries or illness. Most employers have to purchase insurance that helps injured employees to make up for lost wages and to cover medical bills connected to the workplace injury in North Carolina. The advantage of workers' compensation insurance is that a worker who has been injured on the job is eligible for benefits no matter whose fault it was, and the employer doesn't have to worry about being sued in such a situation. Understanding the law can increase an injured worker's chances of successfully claiming all of the benefits he or she deserves.

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